Hear A ‘Code Blue’ Announced At Walmart? Here’s What You Need To Know For Your Safety
Hearing announcements come over the intercom while shopping at Walmart happens all the time. However, it can be a little nerve-racking to hear an announcement you don't recognize. I know that hospitals use color-code announcements to alert doctors and staff to certain situations, but I had never heard one while inside a Walmart - until recently. I wanted to find out what is behind these color codes such as a code blue.
An article on Mashed points to the fact that hearing these codes can be serious business. When a Walmart associate announces a code blue it means that there is a bomb threat situation inside the store.
LOOK: HEAR A CODE BLUE AT WALMART? HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR YOUR SAFETY
The first thing to remember is to remain calm. Walmart authorities along with law enforcement will assess the situation and should provide information on their shelter-in-place or evacuation plan. If there's no direction provided and you feel like you are in danger, calmly evacuate the store. If police are already on the scene, follow all directions given. It's also important to be aware. There could be other threats.
There are even more color codes according to Shopping Behaviour Explained that you should also be aware of. If you hear these while shopping, they mean the following:
- Code Black - severe weather (tornado warning)
- Code Blue - bomb threat
- Code Green - an active hostage situation
- Code Orange - chemical spill
- Code Red - fire
- Code White - injury/accident
Not all codes used are color-coded. For example, a "Code Adam" is an alert for a missing child. A "Code 300" or "99" followed by a location within the store means added security is needed in that area. More non-color codes include:
- Code Spark - more cashiers are needed in front
- Code 10 - wet spill
- Code 20 - dry spill
- Code 50 - shopping carts are needed from the parking lot
- Code 1 - shoplifter
- Code C - customer needs assistance
Speaking of Walmart, if you're a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, you won't believe the merchandise selection at this location. From apparel to goodies for gameday and everything in between, it's all there. Take a look below.